


Cracked Glass Panes

by I_See_The_Stars_15



Category: Hermitcraft RPF
Genre: Angst, Broken Friendship, Falling out, Gen, Paranoia, Slight blood mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:14:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26042518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_See_The_Stars_15/pseuds/I_See_The_Stars_15
Summary: It was meant to be a harmless prank. Keralis intended for it to be a harmless prank. He didn't exactly think anything of framing Etho, thinking the two would play it off as usual.Of course, he didn't realize just how frayed their relationship was, and frankly, neither did Beef and Etho. Turns out things were always meant to end between the two, and this just finally made themsnap.The Llamadad is not going down without a fight.
Comments: 5
Kudos: 68





	Cracked Glass Panes

**Author's Note:**

> tw: slight mentions of blood, but nothing too graphic.

Beef was furious. There was no other way to put it. He pulled off the hit on his own neighbor in the hopes that it will bring him peace of mind, yet ever since that day he’s felt on edge. Suddenly all his friends became either possible allies or possible enemies, each open doorway either inviting luck or death. Part of him told him it was unnecessary, that his friends won’t abandon him. Nevermind that Bdubs will be more likely to side with Keralis than him, nevermind that their admin would obviously stick with his long-time friend. Nevermind that Keralis is so popular with the other hermits, being seen as kind and friendly when he’s _anything_ but, and those doe eyes are more likely to be trusted than the beady eyes of his llama mask. Nevermind any of that because at least there was one person he could trust, one person he could rely on. 

At least that’s what he _used_ to think. Now, sitting in his office surrounded by almost transparent panes of glass, he knows that he’s mistaken. He should have known better, of course he should have. How could he trust the man who owns Shade-E-Es, a business that is built on the concept of money over morals? How could he trust the man who had tricked him before, who had been a nuisance in the past, who had time and time again proven to be fickle in his alliances for the sake of a quick buck? 

The more he thought about it, the more he dwindled into the pits of his anger, the more he thought about his ‘friend’ in a negative light, and it scared him more than he’d like to admit. This is the guy he trusted for _years_ , even beyond the borders of their current world. This was the man he’d considered his best friend yet he suddenly finds himself capable of hating the man, of _loathing_ what the man could do to him. If that’s how he thinks of his trusted friend, how can he think of the others?

A flash of light catches his attention from the corner of his eye but he doesn’t pay attention to it. No, he pays attention to the button on his right, to the soft glow of the lamp to his left, the dripping water above him, and the metal chair in front. Most importantly, he pays attention to the carved out mask on the side of his table, the dark slits meant for him to see staring mockingly back at him. No one feared the Llamadad, not yet, but he’ll make sure they’ll fear him.

Starting with Etho.

\------

“Knock knock!” Etho announces his presence, his cheerful voice met with cold silence.

“Uh, Beef?” He asks, confused and not as chipper as before. The invite to this meeting was certainly more straightforward than before, but he didn’t think much of it, owing it to Beef’s crazy work schedule now that he’s working on Three Fox Hole. His chilly welcome however is making him start to rethink if this was just a normal meeting.

“Come in Etho, come in.” Beef shouts back, his voice its normal timbre yet sharper, more dangerous. More hesitant than before, Etho follows the command, opening the door and looking around. He’s been in this meeting room plenty of times already, the golden floor and gilded walls more than familiar. His gaze wanders to the ceiling, staring at a block he knows is connected to a sticky piston, and he wanders not for the first time if something else is waiting for him up there. Beef notices this and his eyes narrow ever so slightly, his voice going just a tad bit deeper.

“What are you looking at, there’s nothing to see there.” He tells him, voice deceptively casual. “Come, sit, sit.” His phrasing doesn’t match the way he says it, the words friendly when the tone is anything but.

Etho has no choice but to rip his line of vision away from the block and obey, fidgeting in the uncomfortable metal chair he’s sat in before. He gets a good look at Beef, at the dark circles underneath his eyes, his pristine suit as white as ever, the color glaring back at Etho. His posture is stiff, his hands keep moving, and his eyes track Etho’s every move.

Etho refuses to meet his gaze so instead he looks at the banner flowing behind Beef. The design was cool, and it would have been cute if it didn’t add to the ominous feel of the room. Still, Etho decides to use it for small talk, not knowing what else to do.

“So, you finally got yourself a new banner huh?” He starts, thankful that years of practice allowed him to keep the fear from seeping into his voice. Beef’s eyes soften at that and a relaxed smile forms on his face.

“You like it?” He asks, voice excited and Etho can’t help the laughter that bubbles from his throat. There’s the Beef he’s familiar with. 

“It’s pretty cool.” He tells him, squinting at the bright yellow border that surrounds the white head. “Don’t really like the yellow though, reminds me of eternal sunshine.” He snickers, although that quickly quiets down when he notices how Beef’s eyes harden again. 

“What’s wrong with eternal sunshine hm?” Beef asks, voice dipping slightly. Etho swallows his fear and lets out a nervous chuckle.

“Oh you know, just that you haven’t really been able to make a profit off them…” He tries to play it off, except Beef saw right through him.

“Oh, so it’s _all_ about cash for you huh?” Beef almost growls with how deep his voice is. “I want you to look around you Etho. I’m the rich one here, alright? I’m the one with all the power.” He spits out, and Etho’s eyes narrow in confusion.

“Is that what this meeting’s about?” He asks, voice as tense as the atmosphere of the room. Beef shakes his head.

“No, Etho. That isn’t what this meeting is supposed to be about.” He pulls out something from beneath the table and slides it over. Etho hesitantly accepts it and immediately his gloved hands are met with the smooth, cool texture that only glass has.

“Free Glass?” He asks, recognizing it. Beef sharply nods, eyes cold and unyielding.

“Found it in my chests. _Every. Single. One._ ” He leans forward, propping his arms on the desk in front of him. “How did they get there, Etho?”

The man in question shrugs, placing the piece of glass back on the table. “I don’t know.” He sneaks a glance at Beef to see him glaring back, his body stiff like a coil waiting to unravel. “You don’t want it?”

Beef snaps.

“No, I don’t want it Etho!” He shouts, startling his companion as he raises his voice. “I wanted your loyalty and this is what I got instead?”

It all starts to click in Etho’s mind. “You think I did this?” He asks incredulously. “We had an agreement right?”

“Oh I know _all_ about our agreement. I also know how willing you are to do anything for some diamonds.” He hisses, leaning forward again to accentuate his point. “How much did Keralis pay for you to do this huh?”

Etho actually laughs with the absurdity of the statement, which proves to irritate Beef even more. “Really Beef? Keralis? What makes you think I’d want to join in on your neighborly disputes?”

“Oh stop acting all high and mighty Etho!” Beef snaps back, gripping the sides of his chair. “ We all know how much you value your money anyways, no need to act like you have any reservations left.”

The answer feels like a slap to the face, and it hurt Etho more than he’d like to admit. “What are you implying Beef?” His voice drops to a menacing whisper, contrasted by how loud Beef’s answer is.

“I’m saying I can’t believe you’d betray me for Keralis! You, my best friend and right-hand man of all people!” He exclaims, briefly rising from his chair in his exasperation. “I honestly should have seen this coming. Nothing good could have come out of trusting you.” He mutters, mostly to himself, and Etho physically recoils in shock.

“Is that how you think of me Beef? You think I’d just sell my loyalty and my values away?” Beef’s silence is more than enough of an answer, and Etho bitterly laughs. “I can’t believe this. After _everything_ I’d done for you-”

“What good did you do for me huh?” Beef challenges, fighting back once more. “You’re always late with your work, putting it off, then you can’t even keep up with our agreement? You had one fucking job Etho, _one_. You just have to stop giving me your services and you can’t even do that!”

“One job?” Etho fumes. “You think that was one job you gave me? The entire time we’ve been business partners you’ve been ordering me around!” He raises one hand as though mocking Beef. “ _’Etho do this, Etho do that.’_ I’ve been nothing but obedient to you and you kept treating me like shit! Dropping anvils on my head, splashing me with potions, that shit hurts you know!”

“Oh, so they hurt huh.” Beef mutters darkly, and before Etho can react he hears the firing of redstone as potions splash at his feet, sending a wave of fire through his veins and making him cry out. The block he’d been so adamant in observing a while ago disappears, and Etho only briefly enjoys the extra light before anvils fall on top of him, the hard metal hitting him with a dull thud that knocks the breath out of his lungs. He can feel his mouth fill up with blood and he coughs it out, some of it landing on Beef’s suit and making him flinch.

“You didn’t die.” He murmurs, disappointed, and Etho raises his arm to wipe his mouth with his sleeve.

“I wish I did.” He laughs before spitting out more blood, the metallic taste tainted bitter with betrayal. “Maybe then I wouldn’t have to deal with you anymore.” He raises his eyes to meet Beef’s, two cold stares clashing against one another. “I didn’t do it Beef, you know I didn’t.”

“How can I be sure Etho, huh?” Beef counters, voice rising in pitch. “How can I be sure you didn’t do it when it seems like everyone is on Keralis’ side?!”

“Are you really so caught up in yourself Beef?” Etho asks, his tone the same one he would use when teasing his friend but it’s sharper now, darker. “Are you dumb enough to think that I would betray you? Are you so goddamned _stupid_ that you can’t see the way you push everyone away from you?” He throws his hands up in exasperation. “People haven’t seen you in weeks! When they do, you’re always wearing that fucking llama head and acting paranoid! No wonder they’d side with Keralis, you’re acting insane!”

Beef stands up and slams his hand on the table. “That’s it, I’m done with you.” He snarls, raising a hand to point at the door. “ _Get. Out._ ”

Etho laughs almost manically as he stands up, ignoring the pain that rushes down his spine as he does so. “You have no right to demand anything of me anymore. Don’t expect me to come answering your messages any time soon, I’m done being your business partner, and I’m done being your friend.” He turns around and walks briskly away, swaying slightly but not once faltering in his steps.

He stops right by the door, gripping on the handle to keep himself steady. “You know Beef, I genuinely didn’t want to get caught up in your argument with Keralis, but now that you dragged me into this, I have no choice. I hope you realize just how much of an asshole you’ve been, and I hope Keralis manages to take you down” He spits out, wanting to get one last quip in their argument.

 ** _“OUT!”_** Beef bellows, face red with fury. Etho laughs, opening the door and flipping him off.

“See you on the other side of the battlefield, asshole.” He calls out as he finally leaves.

*

Shrouded in the darkness of his office' basement, Keralis sits in front of a computer screen, wincing as his headphones record the sound of a door slamming shut, the thud as impactful as the crash of thunder. He watches Beef stand up from his desk and start silently fixing the room, picking up the anvils and the remains of the potion bottles he used. Keralis takes the opportunity to close his eyes.

When he placed the free glass in Beef’s place, he decided to plant a bug in the walls of his office as well, just in case he can gather something he can use against his neighbor. Framing Etho was supposed to be a harmless prank, this whole dispute was meant to be a harmless prank. He didn’t think it would end like this. He didn’t know just how strained Etho and Beef’s friendship was, and he assumed that they would end up just joking about the glass afterward. Never could he have predicted for things to take an uglier turn, and he surely didn’t expect for Etho to walk out on Beef after declaring their friendship was over.

“I hope you’re happy.” He hears Beef speak again and he opens his eyes in a panic. Looking at his screen, he can see Beef holding up the free glass he placed in his chests, observing them before placing them away. There’s no one else in the room, so who-

“I know you can see me, and I know you’re listening in. You should really hide your cameras better.” Keralis’ blood runs cold when Beef stares straight at him through the screen. The blood on his suit is a grim reminder of what happened just minutes prior, and the determined look on his face serves to properly intimidate the businessman. He raises an eyebrow at his camera before walking towards his chair, sitting on it with his back towards the camera.

“I decided not to destroy the camera since I wanted you to watch me expose your mole. Looks like that didn’t exactly go according to plan.” He sighs heavily. “Of all the people..” He mutters to himself, the next few words too quiet to be picked up by the microphone. 

“Anyways, I’m sure you’re aware that Etho will be running to you soon, I hope you’re happy about that.” He takes the llama head from his side and fiddles with it before placing it on. “You better be ready for a war, Keralis. I’m not going to back down, and I will make you regret ever crossing the Llamadad.” 

He stands up and turns towards the camera, loaded bow in hand. The last thing Keralis hears from Beef is “You better watch out.”. The last thing he sees is a pair of beady, eerie eyes staring at the camera, cold despite the blazing fury they’re hiding underneath. The arrow’s aim is true and the feed cuts out, Keralis leaning backward as though he was actually shot.

He tries to steady his shaking hands as he removes his headphones. Technically this mission should be counted as a success: he managed to rile Beef up, make him know that this was truly war. The fact that he probably now has Etho’s loyalty, if the man isn’t upset with him framing him, is an added bonus. 

**_So why does he feel so scared?_ **

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed it, please consider leaving a comment below! 
> 
> Hoo boy did that interrogation scene have some angst opportunity and my mind just jumped right on it. Get your snacks ready kids, war is brewing in the Hermitcraft server. Whose side are you on?


End file.
